Information and inspiration for the woman who trains to fight

A Look Back Under the Hood, 2014

Fight Like A Girl (November 18)A little extra fat on an otherwise athletic body can be helpful when it comes to stamina, due to the added stored energy. And women are more efficient than men at converting stored calories into fuel, therefore remaining a dangerous threat even in later rounds.

Stop Worrying and Love Your Gut (November 4)Unless you’re already biologically programmed to have minimal belly fat it’s going to be a tough road to attain a photoshop quality belly. Form doesn’t always follow function. A fighter can have well developed stomach muscles, but that doesn’t mean her stomach will be aesthetically pleasing, at least by conventional standards.

The Old Rope Slip Drill (October 28)Developing defensive skills, such as slipping, is invaluable for any fighter. Keeping an opponent from landing solid hits protects you from damage and can set them off balance and vulnerable to your own counter. The Old Rope Slip Drill is great because it’s effective, doesn’t require specialized gear and can be performed just about anywhere.

Fight Faster: Develop Second Nature Reflexes (October 22)In sports every 100th of a second counts. With proper and substantial training you can limit the time lapse between stimuli and response. The ultimate goal would be to get where you’re responding almost subconsciously; to eliminate the “think time” of a nervous rookie and develop the fight reflexes of a relaxed pro.

Core Work for Fighters (October 15)Strengthening and solidifying your “fighting core” is not the same thing as developing a sexy “six pack” or flat stomach. You want a functional core that is strong, yet agile and highly responsive. You want what elite trainers call “dynamic stabilization”. For that, look for routines that emphasize the same kind of movements you’d use in a fight.

Control Your Breathing, Control Your Destiny (October 7)When you’re breathing efficiently you’re delivering more oxygen per breath. This saves a ton of energy and ultimately allows you to turn up the intensity. Superior athletes have efficient breathing and you can see this, not only in their athletic prowess, but also in their hyper focus. More oxygen delivered + less energy expended = sharper awareness.

Shoulder Soreness from Training (September 30)What you are feeling is the stress of the anterior deltoid, the front shoulder muscle. This is a small muscle that typically doesn't get a lot of attention at the gym. But in boxing training you will discover it for sure!

Short & Strong, Not Light & Long(September 16)Jogging, like any kind of moderate exercise, will burn a moderate amount of calories, but will never produce serious results for fighting - because your body is unchallenged, the effects are diminished. Going at full speed in bursts, pushes the entire system and provides a workout that is something to grow on.

Hip Mobility is for Fighters, Get Some (September 8)Besides punching power, having good hip range of motion gives your body the ability to duck and dodge your opponent’s throws and then recoil and reload for another offensive. Hip mobility assists in lateral movements as well, so it complements your agile footwork.

Lift Weights, Lift Your Training(August 26)There are so many ways that weight training can benefit you as a fighter - improved strength, power, balance, bone strength and even injury prevention and speedier injury recovery. Sister, you’re out of your beautiful mind if you’re avoiding the weight room.

Cramps… Why?(August 19)After strenuous activity you should be experiencing some level of soreness and the possibility of cramping is increased due to the build up of lactic acid in the muscle. Lactic acid isn’t actually a bad thing, it’s a byproduct from your body producing energy for your muscles and it’s a perfectly healthy process.

Nose Breathing is Easy Breathing (August 12)Because you’ll need fewer breaths through your nose, you’ll actually be able to breathe slower, which in turn will allow you to be more relaxed in the thick of the fight. Plus every breath you save equals precious energy you’ll save as well. You’ll enjoy more stamina and focus, all thanks to your nostrils.

Wrist Soreness from Fight Training(August 5)As a female, your wrists tend to be quite vulnerable to injury. Your wrists will get stronger and adapt, but it may take time… maybe a lot of time. Additionally, you need to get to know the limits of what you can handle. Remember, you can feel fine at the gym and not know until the next day that it was too much.

Boxing is Safe for Women (July 29)Interestingly, women may be less prone to injury in boxing than men. This is due in part to having a more flexible neck than men. Thus, in boxing women tend to suffer less concussions and other injuries than men. In many other sports females are substantially more vulnerable to injury than their male counterparts.

Fight Parkinson's with Boxing(July 22)Rigorous physical activity that emphasizes muscle activation and coordination, balance and rhythm can have a positive impact on flexibility, range of motion and posture. There are also studies showing that certain intense activities, such as boxing, could actually slow the progression of Parkinson’s.

Elbow Soreness from Fight Training (July 14)The elbow should only be activated to rotate your forearm as you move through the punch. The real power of a proper jab should be coming from your shoulder (and your hips). Consult your trainer to make sure you’re ALWAYS using proper form to avoid possible injury and also to put an end to any lazy, ineffective jabs!

Just Do It... Outside (July 1)Oxygen is what makes fresh air so… fresh. And oxygen has many healing properties on the human body. Therefore if you’re exercising outside, breathing faster and deeper, you are multiplying the amount and quality of Oxygen you’re bringing into your system.

Cross-Training for Fighters (June 18)Athletes know better than anyone the value of cross training to help improve their performance. Any occasional break in routine can add new challenges for muscles, push the nervous system, sharpen reaction time and improve overall athleticism.

Seek Performance, Not Fatigue (June 6)Your body is talking to you - listen to it. Get to know your limits and don't believe the hype - if at the end of your workout you're vomiting or limping it doesn't mean you've had a great workout, it means you've overdone it and wreaked havoc on your body.